Lesson Two
Bargain in Chinese


SUBJECT: World Languages
TOPIC: Chinese dialogue practice; math practice
Grade Level: Ninth grade
Time: 2 days

Target Group: The ninth grade heterogeneous class is comprised of 25 students of varying ethnic backgrounds, learning styles, multiple intelligences and cultural experiences. The group is familiar with basics of Chinese culture through previous lessons.

Description: This lesson is a group activity following the teaching of numbers and culture. Students will be graded with their ability to bargain in real life.

New Jersey Foreign language Novice Middle Academic Standards: Students use short sentences, learned words and phrases, and simple questions and commands when speaking and writing; understand some ideas and familiar details presented in clear, uncomplicated speeches when listening; understand short text enhanced by visual clues when reading; communicate effectively with some hesitation and errors which do not hinder comprehension; imitate culturally acceptable behavior used in the content examples


Goal: Students need to know the Chinese number system and numerical formula.
Instructional Objective (Statement): Students will be able to understand numbers from zero to a hundred. Students will be able to bargain at a Chinese Bazaar in Chinatown. Students will also practice their mental arithmetic skills in this lesson.


Student Behaviors

Evidence


Criteria

Students will recognize Chinese numbers from 0 to 100 verbally and visually.

Students will understand and recognize the following words in Chinese verbally and visually: cent, dime, and dollar.

Students will complete an exercise in a teacher leaded field trip to Chinatown. Their job is to bargain successfully in real life.

Students will read and identify the numbers.
Students will be able to negotiate a good price independently.

Students will use their bargain skills to taste the success of real price cut in the field trip.

Students will do an in-class quiz independently. They will get marked from A to F.

Students will practice the price negotiation in class.
Quiz
90% correct = A;80% correct = B;70% correct = C;
60% correct = D; below 60 % = F
Students will get real bargain in Chinatown




Teaching to the Objective

Time

Activity

Explanation

Differentiation

Day one


Introduction:
10 minutes

Creation:
Fun part.
10 minutes


WARM-UP: (As students enter class) Students greet each other in Chinese.

Power point presentation
Gidgets and Gadgets-“Guess what does that means”.

Teacher will encourage students to “draw” or “create” a picture of the Chinese character which make sense to them. Mostly, Kinesthetic learners can physically create the “Chinese words” in their imagination.


Unlike any kind of Western languages, Chinese is a symbolic language. By watching the “Guess what does that means”, students are expected to realize this is different from any other foreign languages they have ever learned. It will arise their interests to learn.
Process: In this process, teacher needs to identify visual learners, kinesthetic learners, and audio learner in this group.

Students who need concept reinforcement will receive a printed copy of power point copy.





Visual learners usually draw diagrams

Kinetic learners stand up and imitate some body language.

Ice break lecturing
10 minutes

Lecturing

50 minutes

Explain Chinese numbers: one, two , three…
Students are expected to recognize these easiest characters visually and vocally.
Explain the rest of the numbers from four to ten.
Explain the four tones.
Students need to be told to prepare for a real bargain tomorrow.

“Four tones” is the difficult part in this period.

Teacher may tell them a joke “A mom is abusing a horse”. A Chinese word “ma” with four different tones carries four means.

Audio learners usually show tons of enthusiasm at this phrase. Four tones are their favorite part.
Visual learner need some hand out to recognize these words

Day one afternoon

Ball throwing game: Students need to catch the ball and response with the numbers they have learned this morning
Price making:
Name your price game, example, how to say 5 dollar 10 cents

One student call a number in English, throw the ball to another student. The receiver needs to catch the ball and say aloud that number in Chinese.
Ball catching is Kinetic learners’ favorites.

Day two

Reviewing
20 minutes

Lecturing
40 minutes



Review the things they learned yesterday.

Explain the numeric formula.

After they have learned the formula.

Let students expand the numbers from one to a hundred.





Explain the key words: “shi, bai” which means “ten, hundred.
Draw diagrams to Visual earners.

Audio learners need to pay attention.

Promote Kinetic learners stand up, use their body language to memorize these words.

Lecturing
30 minutes

Lecturing
30 minutes


Explain “Tai gui la, pian yi dian.” <how to start the bargain>
Explain “Wo men mei ren dou mai yi ge, ni pian yi dian” in Chinese.
<bulk sale bargain skills in chinese>

Real bargain practice: How to use body languages appropriately? How to identify good deal?

Students need to practice the mental arithmetic. Many vendors in Chinatown are good at Math. If students are not confident in Math, bulk sale bargain skill may worth a try.

Audio learners can catch up this part easily.
Visual learner need pictures.

Day two afternoon

Teacher lead students to Philadelphia Chinatown.

Students may choose to bargain at any restaurants, grocery stores, gift shops, or tea houses. Students need to document the original offer, and the final deal.


This is a game kids can have some fun when they ca learn some life skill. Bargain is common in China.
By watching their responses, teachers can evaluate the effectiveness of instruction.


Visual learners may use pictures or diagrams to help if necessary.

Audio and Kinetic learners’ favorites.


Assessment: Student will be evaluated with their bargain result. The better bargainer will get a higher score. Teacher uses a rubric to rate student experience as “exemplary,” “proficient,” “partially proficient” or “incomplete” for the following categories: recall of concepts, ability to understand, effectiveness of bargain skills, troubleshooting, learning attitude.

Follow-up:
· Students write a reflection of their experience.
· Students share the food or gifts (the results of their bargain) with their family.

Materials: Computer with Internet, scissors, clear tape, paper clips, colored pencils

Resources: Better Chinese website. http://www.betterchinese.com/